End of Term Newsletter No 656 – 21 July 2017
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End of Term Newsletter No 656 – 21 July 2017 As usual, the year goes out with a bang, not a whimper, and this newsletter is testament to the efforts of the whole SJL community which have been maintained right up till the last days of the term. Last week saw Sports Day, the Lower School Play and Year 6 induction; this week we have held Enterprise Days, Rounders Tournaments and Theatre groups. We will all need a good rest! I thoroughly enjoyed our Lower School Production of ‘Mobile Phone Show’, a very up-to-date piece that saw a talented cast exploring the highs and lows of the impact of mobile technology on our lives. What I particularly enjoy about the lower school plays is seeing the new talent coming through in the drama department and based on what we saw last week, we are in safe hands! Huge thanks to the Drama staff for finding such an interesting play and for coaching such tremendous performances out of their case and crew. As we reach the end of term, we always find ourselves in the sad position of saying goodbye to staff who are moving on to pastures new (or sometimes just putting their feet up!). I would like to thank all the staff listed below for their hard work on behalf of the SJL community and wish them every success in the future; Martin Barrett D&T Teacher (mat cover) Emily Brown Geography Teacher Ewa Cantwell Food Teacher (mat cover) Sarah Cohen Teaching Assistant Stephen Collins Teaching Assistant Ben Creasey Head of MFL Tracy Hewat Science Teacher Shobhna Jagatia Science Technician Ashley Jarvest D&T Teacher Lisa Le Grice Teaching Assistant Joe McNally Science Teacher Paul Rayburn Science Teacher Lauren Strange Science Teacher Alex Serpente Teaching Assistant Our best wishes to you all, but extra special thanks need to go to the following staff, who are leaving after tremendous periods of service to the school; Ian Robins Head of Geography – 10 years Alan Reilly Maths Teacher – 16 years Vicky Munn PE Teacher – 18 years Denise Brown Media Teacher – 27 years Chris Armitage Teacher of English/PE – 42 years! And finally, because occasionally I like to take advantage of the fact I’m head teacher, I’d like to say a very personal thank you to two members of the senior team who are moving on; Jon Mountstevens and Jo Mylles. I am so grateful to them both for all the support they have shown me and the rest of the staff and students at SJL and we wish them every success as they on to the next stages of their careers. I know, however, that Jon won’t mind me adding that the school community owes a particular debt to Jo Mylles, who after 23 years at SJL is moving on to be head of Challney High School for Girls. She has been a great role model to generations of young women, both staff and students, over her time at Sir John Lawes School and she will be much missed! I am pleased to say we are fully staffed for September and we will welcome our new colleagues when we return after the break. In the meantime, thank you to the whole SJL family for another superb year and have a restful and relaxing summer! As always, if you have any comments or suggestions I would be pleased to hear from you, please contact me at [email protected]. Claire Robins GOVERNORS’ REPORT TO PARENTS 2016-17 Dear Parents As we reach the end of another successful school year, I am writing on behalf of the governors to let you know about some of the work we have been carrying out to support the SJL community over the last 12 months. Standards The Governors’ key focus at all times is on ensuring that the students at SJL receive the highest possible standards of teaching in the classroom to enable them to achieve the very best results that they can. This year, governors have scrutinised exam results, met with Heads of Faculty and taken part in 9 faculty reviews and 3 pastoral reviews. Governors have also been represented on interview panels for new members of staff and took a leading role in the appointment of our new deputy and assistant head teachers. During governors’ meetings, we have received updates from the Senior Leadership team on the school’s work with Pupil Premium students and staff professional development programmes – some of us also attended the school’s annual staff conference to get an even better idea of issues affecting SJL and how the staff are preparing to deal with them. There have been two governor visit days where governors come in and spend the whole day visiting lessons, meeting with key stakeholders and really getting a sense of day to day life at SJL. Training An important aspect of the governors’ role is to ensure that we keep our own training up to date. This year, governors have been accessing online training on issues such as child protection and Prevent through the school’s Educare contract as well as attending face to face training led by Herts County Council. Most recently, SJL governors organised joint training across the Trust on how to handle complaints. Finances With school finances very much in the news this year, the SJL governors have been playing a key role in monitoring the school’s expenditure and supporting the senior leadership team as they plan for the future. Governors have scrutinised all spending plans, contracts and tenders for value for money and liaised closely with Hazel Wale and her team to ensure that SJL can set a balanced budget for next year. I hope that the extreme pressures on school budgets will be eased by the Government later this year but, in any event, I can assure parents that financial management at SJL is of a very high standard. The Scholars’ Education Trust A great deal of work has gone on behind the scenes this year by all governors of schools in the Sir John Lawes Academies Trust to create a new governance system more appropriate to a Trust that is growing in size. Governors have taken part in a formal governance review, attended focus days, met with members of the Trust executive and taken advice from independent accountants and lawyers. As a result, from September a new governance structure and schedule of delegation will come into place. The name of the Trust will change to the Scholars’ Education Trust, a name which we feel reflects our aspirations for our students and also our belief that the Trust is now less reliant on SJL as its central support and is able to draw on support and expertise from all schools in the Trust. General In addition to all the activities set out above, governors were present at Open Evening (and completed questionnaires with visitors), attended concerts and plays, joined in with Have You Met activities, ran workshops and stalls at our Careers Fair and supported the Friends of SJL in their first year in their new form. Governors are unpaid volunteers from the local community and we take great pleasure in showing our support for the whole SJL family. As Chair of Governors, I am always happy to be contacted by members of the SJL community via the school with any queries or questions you may have about the work of the governing body. In the meantime, I would like to congratulate all the staff and students of SJL on their hard work this year and wish them – and all the SJL family – a restful and relaxing summer holiday. Yours Simon Mundy Chair of Governors LETTERS HOME THIS WEEK Year 9 full reports and year 10 summer grade sheets will be emailed out to parents during the last week of term. A reminder that copies of all generic letters sent home can be found on our website at: http://www.sjl.herts.sch.uk/practical-information/letters-home.php UNIFORM – IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR SEPTEMBER Students have grown considerably since the introduction of the new school skirt, across the school last September. A number of them are now wearing their skirts far too short or rolling them over at the waist – this is unacceptable. Once again, we are asking parents for support from home. Please discuss this with your child(ren) and ensure that they come to school properly equipped and with a correctly fitting uniform for the start of the new academic year. A reminder that the school skirt must be worn ON the knee and staff at Stevenson’s uniform shop are very clear on the school’s policy regarding this matter. There are also signs in the shop reminding parents of this and staff have been instructed not to sell SJL skirts any shorter than on the knee. Please also bear this in mind if purchasing your child’s skirt from Stevenson’s online shop. Any students wearing skirts above the knee at the start of the new academic year can expect to receive a sanction and parents will be expected to exchange or replace the skirt immediately. Please also remember that the SJL skirt and girls’ trousers (the trousers must bear the school badge) can only be purchased from Stevenson’s. Lookalike garments should not be purchased elsewhere. We are keen to avoid having to challenge students about their uniform and having parents incur any additional expense or inconvenience. Please also note that tights must be navy – black tights are not uniform and therefore not permitted.